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State and federal agencies advising businesses to follow these COVID-19 guidelines

Several Central Georgia businesses have confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last few weeks

MACON, Ga. — Some of the region's largest employers are reporting confirmed COVID-19 cases among their workers.

Perdue Farms in Perry says one of their workers tested positive. YKK released a statement confirming that an employee in their Dublin plant was one of the Laurens County cases. Then, a GEICO employee in their Macon office tested positive last Wednesday. Most recently, Amazon confirmed on Sunday that at least one of their employees in the south Macon fulfillment center has the virus.

With all these cases, we asked what guidelines are state and federal agencies giving?

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, released a COVID-19 planning guideline, instructing businesses how to take precautions based on their exposure risk. 

Many of the businesses affected locally fit in the low or medium risk exposure category where there's either some or no contact within 6 feet of co-workers.

For medium risk, OSHA advises employers to provide physical barriers between employees and suggests using masks or other personal protective equipment if needed. 

But for all businesses, OSHA and the Georgia Department of Public Health is advising employers to be lenient on their sick policy. 

"It's better for one employee to have sick leave when they're actually sick and than it affect your whole workforce, and then you have no workforce," said Michael Hokanson, the spokesperson for the North Central Health District. 

Georgia Department of Public Health says workers who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 must quarantine for at least 14 days. 

"It's important for them to strictly adhere to Department of Public Health guidance when it comes to self-quarantine and self-isolation of infected workers and close contacts," Hokanson said. 

North Central Health District says all businesses should have a station where employees can wash their hands. Also, businesses should sanitize with one of the many EPA approved disinfectants that are listed on the Center for Disease Controls website.

All companies with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the workplace told WMAZ they've taken precautions by requiring employees with diagnosed cases to quarantine, and they've also disinfected the workplace.

For the full list of OSHA's guidelines, you can find them here

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FACTS NOT FEAR | At 13WMAZ, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the coronavirus. To see our full coverage, visit our site section here: www.13wmaz.com/Coronavirus.

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